Some Things Gold Can Stay
by RowanoftheForest
Summary: Silver has managed to turn himself around, with some help from Gold. That doesn't mean that Team Rocket, more specifically, Giovanni, will leave him alone. He escapes once again as our story begins to find that news traveled quicker than he had and that the person he holds most dear, Gold, was kidnapped. Silver has had it with Team Rocket. It's his turn now to take down Team Rocket
1. Chapter 1

**Gold's Team (Age 17)**

Typhlosion Pichu Swablu Tyranitar Lapras Slowking

**Sliver's team (Age 17)**

Feraligatr Sneasel Crobat Electabuzz Gligar Houndoom

**WARNING** contains blood and gore.

...

Silver paced in his small room. he was, as of the moment, a caged animal. His father was holding him prisoner, trying to convince him to reconsider his choice to leave Team Rocket.

He wasn't going to. He made up his mind a long time ago, and he had someone there for him, who helped guide him to be a better person. If he left Gold for his father, then he would be that sour little child who hated everything again. He couldn't go back to that, it wasn't him anymore. Gold had helped him form into a better person, he couldn't abandon that

Without his pokemon, though, he had no way out.

He needed a plan.

The door was old and would break under enough stress. He had tried breaking it himself, but he wasn't strong enough. They hadn't fed him in a while, and he was barely functioning.

There was a crash, the window breaking. Silver spun around quickly to face the window. To his surprise, his Sneasel was standing in the middle of the broken shards of the pane, holding the belt with his other pokemon. Silver smiled the best he could manage and fell to his knees beside it. It looked at him with concern, he tried to reassure the pokemon that he was fine, but the creature didn't buy it. Sneasel rubbed against Silver, something it did now that Silver was affectionate with his pokemon. A sign of their growing bond.

"Sneasel, do you think you can break that door?" Silver asked.

The small pokemon nodded and walked over to the door. It scratched the door a few times to test the wood. It smiled and gave the door a flurry of attacks. The door was quickly dispatched. Silver pat Sneasel on the head and walked out into the balcony overlooking the first floor. He looked around the area, noting there weren't very many guards. He could take them out with ease, but the grunts were like cockroaches, kill one and there are plenty more. He couldn't be seen leaving, he would never get out. Sneasel tugged on the hem of Silver's shirt and pointed up toward a skylight, it was one of the ones Silver had shattered in his rage when he was first brought here, the broken glass had been removed and in it's place was a thin sheet of plastic.

Silver smiled, it was the perfect way out. In the darkening evening, no light came in through the skylight and no one would notice a teenager trying to get out. He recalled Sneasel and let out Crobat. Silver felt a pang in his heart at the sight of the pokemon. Crobat was the one pokemon who Gold directly helped Silver with. It was Gold who finally got Golbat to evolve into Crobat. Silver pointed up to the skylight and Crobat latched onto his back. It lifted him up off the balcony and toward the skylight. Silver scanned the floor for anyone who could pose a problem for him escaping.

He didn't _see _anyone, but that didn't mean someone wasn't watching him. Crobat got Silver close to the plastic film so he could cut it open. As he pulled out his pocketknife, which he had managed to switch from his jacket to his jeans just before he was stripped of his jacket, the film tore. His eyes went wide, and he knew that he hadn't been thorough in his review of the mansion floors.

If he fled, he would be hunted. If he stayed and fought, the grunts were endless, and he would fail from exhaustion long before he would have a chance.

"Tut tut, Silver. You can't get out that simply," The voice belonged to Proton. Proton knew Silver's situation.

Silver growled, "Since when have you cared if I got away. As I recall, you were the one who turned a blind eye to me when I was running away six years ago."

Proton shrugged, "Hey kid, I'm just following orders. I wasn't told to hold you in back then."

Grunts were beginning to line up along the edges of the balconies. If Silver couldn't get away soon, he wouldn't be able to.

Silver grit his teeth. How did he let this happen? He knew all of this was just a test by his father to see if he was worthy of being an executive of Team Rocket. What if he couldn't pass though? He shuddered a little at the thought. His life would probably go back to before he managed to get away the first time.

"Proton, I'm as much a Rocket as you are. I'm going to leave now. I'm going to get some things to help my father. If any grunts come after me or I am impeded by any Rocket member, I'll have your head."

Proton swallowed hard, his eyes wide and sweat glistening on his forehead. He was a pathetically easy target, "L-let him g-go."

Silver smiled and motioned for Crobat to take him out the window. The bat lifted him out the window and high above the mansion. Silver's hair whipped around him in a freezing breeze. Silver shivered, without his fleece jacket the winter chill easily bit him. Crobat started to fly out toward Johto. Silver knew that Gold should be there, but could he go to Gold? Where would Gold even be in Johto? What if he wasn't where Silver thought he was? Where would Silver go if Gold didn't even want to see him? Silver shook his head, he just needed to get away from that wretched mansion right now.

He looked over at Mt. Silver as they flew by. He looked up at the peak where Gold had told him Red resided. He wondered for a moment what it would be like to live up there, completely secluded, so cut off from the rest of the world, able to do whatever you wanted. He wondered how Red liked being all alone. He knew that Red grew up with only two other people in his generation and only one of them counted as his friend. He was probably used to being alone

Silver shook his head, now was not the time to think about Red, and quickly scanned the mountain for Gold. It was late but he may have just been leaving. It was unlikely, as Gold hadn't been up the mountain to see Red in five years. He was twelve and had visited Red for the third time, it ended in a loss and Gold never went back. Silver was rather surprised, as Gold was not the type to step down from a challenge.

However, Silver was not surprised that Gold had lost. Red was a legendary trainer, after all. Acclaimed as the most powerful trainer there was. Silver could probably learn from Red, he may have been a great trainer but he couldn't even beat half of Red's team.

Silver motioned for Crobat to put him down in Cherrygrove then returned the bat pokemon. He looked out the eastern exit of town. It was where he and Gold had their first battle and it led back to Gold's home, Newbark. Maybe Gold was spending time at home. The air there looked odd though. There seemed to be smoke and Silver couldn't see any of the windmills or the lab. Silver just thought that the trees had grown since he had last been here, so they obscured the view to Newbark. The smoke could just be from a bonfire or something similar, Gold had once brought him to a bonfire in Newbark, it wasn't exactly what Silver had expected, but it wasn't bad. He still made a mental note to stop by tomorrow. He then turned to the Pokemon Center and walked inside. He reserved a room for the night and thought for a moment of giving the nurse his pokemon, but decided against it. He would have to move quickly in the morning if Gold wasn't home but his mother knew where he was. Gold never lost his sense of travel, something Silver greatly admired.

Silver looked around the lobby, no one was there, but knowing some of the younger trainers, someone could come in at any moment. That someone may be able to help Silver find Gold. So Silver sat in one of the lobby chairs with a book, crossed his legs in the seat and put on his reading glasses.

Silver had just closed his book and was about to go to the room he rented, when a girl came rushing through the Center doors. She quickly put her pokeballs on the counter and shot nervous glances at the door behind her. Silver recognized her, with the puffy, marshmallow like hat, she was hard to forget, "Lyra." Silver stood up and took off his glasses, "Lyra, what's wrong?" He took a few steps toward her.

Her eyes landed on Silver, "You!" she yelled, lunging at Silver, "This is your fault!" She hit him. One of her hands was holding tightly onto a red jacket, the zipper of which, hit Silver just above his right eye.

"Wh-what?" Silver asked, holding his eye.

"Team Rocket attacked Newbark. This is your fault! How could you let them attack us?!" Lyra kept hitting him on the chest.

Silver tried to back away, "How?! I don't control them! I just got away from them not too long ago! I have nothing to do with those weaklings!"

"They were looking for you! Why did you let them attack us?! Kris' house almost burned down and the lab needs major repair!" She slapped him hard across the face.

Silver's eyes were wide, he lowered his hand from his eye to his cheek and stared at the floor.

Lyra's voice cracked, "They have Gold."

Silver's breath hitched. That couldn't be true. Gold was a fighter, he was so much stronger than any Team Rocket grunt or executive. Silver noticed that the jacket that Lyra had hit him with was Gold's, he gently pried it from Lyra's hands and held it to his chest, "I didn't mean for this..." Silver shook his head, "I owe Gold everything. I have to find him. I will find him," Silver straightened up and looked Lyra in the eyes, "Which way did they take him?"

"It would be dangerous to follow them now. It's the dead of the winter and there's a storm brewing in the mountains," Kris walked over to the two, "Good to see you again, Silver," Kris put a hand on Silver's shoulder, "I'm not even certain that we should be the ones to go after him. Team Rocket seemed extra violent. They may hurt even you Silver."

"If they do hurt me, they won't kill me or disable me. My father finds me valuable," Silver said.

"You have run away from them, Silver," Kris argued.

"I ran away back when I first started my pokemon journey. I also stole things too. Giovanni doesn't care what I do, he just wants me to be his heir," Silver explained.

"Still, maybe we should get the police involved," Kris said.

"Gold doesn't trust the cops. Besides, we're powerful trainers and Team Rocket is weak. We can take them!" Silver said.

Lyra nodded, "He's right. We all worked together and beat them before!"

Kris sighed, "If I find that either one of you is gone in the morning... Ugh, I don't even know what I'll do."

Silver smirked and walked up to the room he rented. He looked down at the jacket he was holding. Gold's jacket. He clutched it a little tighter, "I'll find you Gold. I promise I will."

He set the jacket on the bed and stripped off his clothes to take a shower. He wrapped a towel around his waist, feeling uncomfortable completely naked, even in the empty room. He turned on the hot water in the shower and waited until it started steaming before he dropped the towel and stepped inside. He let the water pound against his back and shoulders, allowing himself to relax. He watched the water drip from his long hair and down to the tiled floor. He tried to think of a plan to find Gold. Which bases were undiscovered? Where would they even take him? Which way did they take him? They would probably keep him in Johto. Johto had quite a few cities and towns to it though. It could take a while before He even got a clue to where Gold was.

He washed out his hair and then turned off the shower. He stood in the shower stall for a moment, allowing the cool air to slowly seep to him. He grabbed a towel and began to dry off. He looked in the mirror and saw the haunted look in his eyes. Had the loss of Gold really done that to him? It could have been, Gold was his best and first friend. Of course Team Rocket hadn't been kind to him during his stay at the mansion. He shook his head and walked back into the bedroom. He glanced out the eastern window. Silver could now see what was left of Newbark. Lyra was right, the lab was pretty heavily damaged and Kris' house was almost completely gone. Even though he had nothing to do with the attack, he felt guilty for it. Team Rocket was looking for him even though he had just escaped. He remembered his threat to Proton and told himself to remember to go through with it if it was in fact Proton who ordered the grunts to attack Newbark

He looked higher and saw Mt. Silver in the distance. At that moment, he kind of wanted to live the life Red did. Alone on the mountain, his father probably wouldn't be able to get him there. No one would ever be able to get him except for a choice few. He could understand Red wanting to be alone. Being followed and exploited must have been hard for him. He was so young when it happened. Red was probably scared when all those people came up to him, crowded around and suffocated him. Silver shuddered, he many have done something violent if people did that to him. And he didn't have anyone to fall back on like Red had Green. Sure Gold was Silver's friend but could they have the bond Red and Green had?

Silver picked up his clothes and put them back on, along with Gold's jacket. Silver sat down on the bed and picked at the sleeves of Gold's jacket. They were a little short on him but they, and the torso of the jacket, hung loose around him. The thought that Gold may be pudgy made Silver smile, then the thought of Gold being simply muscular made him blush and wonder why he would even think of that.

A muffled cry came from the hood of the jacket and pulled Silver from his embarrassing thoughts. He knew that cry. It was a Pichu! Silver reached back to the hood and untangled it. Something latched onto his hand. He pulled his hand back and saw the small yellow mouse holding tight and shivering. Silver gently pat it's head with his other hand. It squeaked with surprise and fear. "Hey, it's okay, Pichu. I'm going to help you. I'm going to find Gold." Pichu looked up at Silver with excitement, "I need a plan before we go and some rest. If I'm falling asleep on my feet, I won't be much use to Gold," the Pichu chatted excited, almost like it was trying to give him a plan, or just convince him to go.

Silver fell over to rest on the bed comfortably, "I really do need my sleep. Team Rocket has deprived me of it," Pichu settled down next to Silver's head and fell asleep faster than the teen did. The teen in question, stared at the ceiling. A plan. What would he do when he found Gold? How would he even find Gold? The same questions kept buzzing through his head. It couldn't shake them. Even if he could run away like Red, they would still be on his mind. Red probably has his own things on his mind though. His mother and the few friends he has.

Silver gently shook his head, so he wouldn't disturb Pichu. He needed a plan, he couldn't just wing this. Well, maybe he could. The members of Team Rocket were becoming more and more submissive to him at he demonstrated his power. He may just be able to get Gold and get out. Even if he did hate controlling the little freaks, it could come in handy.

Silver woke up before dawn. He sat up on the bed and picked up the still sleeping Pichu. He thought back to all the hideouts he had overheard the grunts talking of while he was still in the mansion. There was one in Cianwood and another on the caves of Mt. Mortar near Ecruteak. Neither was more likely than the other. Silver stood up and stretched, rousing the Pichu in the process, "Do you trust me Pichu?"

The Pichu nodded.

"Will you let me command you?"

The Pichu hesitated for a moment then nodded slowly. Silver smiled and gave the Pichu a light hug. He blushed and stopped quickly. Why was he suddenly being affectionate? Silver rolled his eyes at his behavior and left the room. He went downstairs and gave the room key back to the on duty nurse. He looked over his team and picked out his Electabuzz to switch out with Pichu. He put the Electabuzz in the PC and pat the Pichu on the head, "I know Kris told Lyra and me not to leave but I'm the only one who knows the two places he's likely to be."

Silver walked out the doors of the Pokemon Center and checked for Lyra or Kris. He saw neither and quickly slipped out the northern entrance to town. He placed Pichu on his shoulder, and it crawled into the hood, then raced down Route 30, he had to stop by Goldenrod. Some of the Rocket grunts were still there in the underground. They never left, as Team Rocket felt the need to either completely bury their tracks, which they couldn't do with Gold, Kris, and Lyra around, or never leave their secrets. One of those Rocket members was bound to know where Gold was.

"Silver!" Someone yelled. It sounded like Kris.

Silver turned around quickly around to see that Kris and Lyra were only a few feet away, "What?"

"I told you and Lyra not to leave! And you left!" Kris yelled.

"I'm the one who knows where he's most likely to be. I don't need you two with me. I can get in on my own," Silver said.

"You don't even know which way they flew off with him!" Lyra exclaimed, "I saw which way they went. I doubt it would be a quick trip on foot."

"They either went west to Cianwood or north west to Mt. Mortar," Silver stated.

"North west," Lyra answered, "How did you know?" she frowned.

"I was trapped in a mansion with Team Rocket members of all ranks for about two and a half months. I know quite a few things I was never meant to," Silver muttered.

"Mt. Mortar is kind of far to walk, don't you think? Especially for a guy with a Crobat who can fly him around," Kris said, skepticism heavy in her tone.

"Maybe I'm not going there first. Can't I have other things to do? Prepare myself with what I'll need to know about base? Learn of any others that he may have been taken too after we all went to sleep?" Silver questioned.

"If you aren't going right after Gold, then where are you going, and why bother with Gold if he isn't top priority?" Kris began to circle around Silver.

"Gold is my top priority. I, unlike you two, don't rush into danger head first. I plan out and learn what I need to know," Silver stiffened up.

"Where are you going to learn what you need?" Kris pressured.

SIlver grit his teeth, he didn't need the girls following him. If he lied to Kris about where he was going, she would call him out for walking there, "I'm going to Goldenrod," He finally said in a low voice.

"Why not fly there? You have to go through Violet city then to Goldenrod. Either way you go, it's kind of a far walk," Kris' word were slowly picking apart Silver's defences.

"Maybe I need to do something in Violet City," Silver quirked his eyebrows, trying to confused Kris.

She sighed, "Silver, I'm just gonna cut to what I really want to know, why do you care about Gold so much?"

Silver swallowed hard. Why would she want to know such a thing? "He's my best friend, my first friend. He showed me how to be nice to people and taught me to love my pokemon."

"There's more than that. I can see the fear of it slipping out in your eyes," Kris and Lyra moved in close to Silver.

"She's got a point. Gold may have helped you a lot but Red helped Green coup with what his grandfather said to him before leaving for Mt. Silver. Red hasn't come off that mountain since, and he never talks to anyone or shows any interest in what you have to say," Lyra added.

Silver grasped for words. Why did they have to find him?

Kris clutched his chin and forced him to look her in the eyes, "What is it that drives you so much?"

"I-I. I don't have to answer to you!" Silver yelled and broke from her grip, stumbling away.

"You clearly didn't take your lessons on being nicer to people seriously," Kris stated, brushing dirt from her shorts.

Silver bit his lip, "I honestly can't tell you."

Lyra pushed by Kris, "I'm sorry, Silver. Gold being gone is hurting you as badly as it is us. I guess we were just suspicious of you because of who you are and how we haven't seen you in so long. And, Kris, I know you want to know the answers what you're asking, but Silver really doesn't want to talk about it. I don't think that's the fear of him slipping up and saying something he doesn't want to. I think it's fear of what we'll think of what he has to say. A quiet guy like Silver is probably afraid of the reactions of people."

Silver was shocked. There was no other way to put it. Lyra has never, before then, been so sympathetic of him, nor had she ever defended him.

"If he wants to do his part of finding Gold alone, that's okay. He already told us place he's most likely gonna be," Lyra added.

Kris nodded and turned her back to Silver, "Let's go to Mt. Mortar then."

"Be careful." Silver whispered.

Lyra smiled at him and nodded. Pichu crawled out from the hood of Gold's jacket and called after them, "Piiiichu! Pi pi chuu!"

Kris looked back at Silver and Pichu, "You'd better not lose that Pichu, Silver."

Silver nodded and headed toward Violet City, going quickly in case the girls were lying when they said that they were to Mt. Mortar. He passed right through Violet City, out the northern entrance, the National Park and into Goldenrod. He didn't notice until he was in Goldenrod, that he hadn't passed a single person once he got onto Route 36, and there wasn't a single person wandering the city streets now. The buildings didn't have any lights on either.

There was yelling but it wasn't the yelling of any citizens, it sounded more like-

"Archer!" Silver snarled and took off toward the yelling.

When Silver come to a stop in the mouth of the alley Archer was in, the Team Rocket Executive looked at him.

"So glad you came to join me Silver," Archer smiled, "I thought you were done with us though."

"I am done with you," Silver spat, "Now, where's Gold?"

"Why are you here, little Silver?" Archer was toying with him.

"Where is Gold?!" Silver asked again, yelling.

Archer laughed coldly, "Trying so hard to be something you're not."

"Where the hell is Gold?!" Silver yelled. Sneasel came out of its pokeball and stepped towards Archer, "Sneasel's claws are very sharp, if you don't tell me, it will end badly for you."

Archer just laughed again. Silver snarled and his Sneasel jumped onto Archer's back. It ripped open his shirt and dragged it's claws down his bare flesh, exposing the back of his ribs and allowing blood to pour out.

"Tell what I want to know," Silver said, his voice getting cold and calm.

Archer groaned in pain, "Th-the boy you're looking for..." he drifted off, wobbling from blood loss, "was in Mt. Mortar until his recent relocation."

Silver growled, "Dammit!"

Sneasel jumped off Archer and returned to Silver's side, licking the blood from it's claws and ensuring that they were sharp.

"Tut tut, Silver, why happened to you? You used to be such an innocent boy. Disturbed, but innocent. Where did you go wrong?" Ariana cooed.

"You," Silver spat, "You bastards took Gold. He was my best friend, I care about him! I will get him back from you, no matter what it takes."

"Ah, so you've gone soft and you're hiding it with violence," Ariana said in a sweet, poisoned voice.

"I'm not soft!" Silver snarled, "To be soft is to be weak. I am not weak like you and the pathetic members of Team Rocket! I. Am not. Weak!" Sneasel stalked over to Ariana.

She laughed and attempted to brush Sneasel aside. The pokemon clung to her, digging its claws into the meat of her thigh. Ariana screamed and kicked her leg violently, trying to detach Sneasel. It only worked to make Sneasel's claws tear open more of her flesh, allowing her blood to gush forth from her leg.

"Who would know where Gold is? Who moved him from Mt. Mortar?" Silver asked.

"Get this wretched monster off me!" Ariana screeched, sinking to the ground.

"Tell me what I want to know," Silver said, keeping a calm tone.

"I d-don't know!" She sobbed, trying to push Sneasel off.

"Come now Ariana, I know you're lying," Silver stepped closer and smirked at her, "Lying will only make Sneasel more mad."

She tried to get up again, but fell against the wall, "Petrel," she took a deep breath and shuddered, "Petrel was the one who relocated the boy. You won't find Petrel away from the boy. If you can even find him," She closed her eyes and paused, "He's in a base not even you would know of. No one at the mansion was to speak of it, in case you were listening."

"Fuck," Silver muttered. "Sneasel, come on, she's useless to us now," the pokemon nodded and released Ariana's leg, blood began to gush more from the now completely open gashes. Sneasel happily rejoined its master, cleaning its blood drenched claws along the way.

Silver looked around at the faces of the grunts who had just stood by and watched, "Have none of you stepped forward to challenge me? Are none of you going to now and help your executives? You're all pathetic!" Silver yelled. Still no grunts moved. "Completely pathetic!" Silver turned and started to walk away.

A rustling caught his attention. Silver turned back around, no grunt had appeared to move. A Swablu poked up out of the trash. Silver slowly walked toward it, it didn't flinch and seemed rather happy to see Silver.

"Are you Gold's pokemon?" Silver whispered, kneeling near the Swablu.

It fluttered up excitedly and sat on Silver's head.

Silver frowned and pulled out Pichu, "Any idea how many of Gold's pokemon are free? Or where they may be."

Pichu chatted up to Swablu then shrugged at Silver. The teen frowned and looked around at the grunts, Archer, and Ariana, "If I find another one of Gold's pokemon. I won't call Sneasel off your dying, bloodied bodies," Silver placed Pichu back on his shoulder and left Goldenrod to meet up with the girls in Mt. Mortar, to tell them what's happened to Gold. And get his best friend back.

**Chapter End**


	2. Chapter 2

**Kris' Team (Age 17)**

Mismagius Arcanine Meganium Cubone Hitmonchan Xatu

**Lyra's Team (Age 16)**

Marill Smoochum Tropius Girafarig Clefable Parasect

**Green's Team (Age 20)**

Eevee Pidgeot Arcanine Gyarados Rhyperior Machamp

**WARNING** there are dead people in this chapter

**NOTE** in this chapter I begin to experiment with a change in who the story is following. This change in viewpoint is temporary.

...

Silver kept his hands in the pockets of his jacket. Gold's jacket. It still smelled like Gold and that haunted Silver. It made him think that Gold to just appear at any moment. He knew that wouldn't happen though. He clenched his fists and growled. How had he let Team Rocket take Gold from him? The teen kicked a stone and watched it as it flew off into the woods.

"Ow! What was that?" The stone had hit someone.

"Lyra, is that you?" Silver asked.

Lyra emerged from the woods and hugged Silver, "They got Kris. We went to Mt. Mortar and Gold wasn't there, we had just been lured into the heart of their lair. They tied us up and then they released me because they were gonna use me to get information out of Gold but Kris told me to run, so I did. She said she would come after me but they flew away with her twenty minutes ago!" She started sobbing as soon as she finished.

Silver blinked a few times then gently pat Lyra's head, "Lyra. Lyra, you need to calm down. We can go after her once you calm down," Silver gently rocked her and rubbed her back.

How had he become so caring?

Lyra sniffled and rubbed her eyes, "L-let's go. I think they took her to Kanto. O-or maybe Blackthorn," She looked up at Silver hopefully.

"Wherever they took her, and they probably took her to the same place they took Gold, I don't know. They were instructed not to talk about the base where Gold is while I was in the mansion. I'm sorry, Lyra..."

"It isn't your fault," She said gently, sniffing a little.

"I was worried about you and Kris getting in my way but, I think I just got in yours," Silver sighed.

"Now, Silver, I know you. And this isn't you, no matter how much Gold helped you, he didn't make you soft," Lyra said.

"I'm not soft!" Silver growled.

"Exactly, so snap out of this self pity thing," She poked him in the chest, "How did you find out that they were instructed not to talk about this particular base with you at the mansion?"

"I may have, uh, tortured a few executives to get what I wanted," Silver shot Lyra a nervous smile then looked down

"So you have violent methods yet are a nice person?" She asked.

He just shrugged, "I'm not sure about anything anymore."

Lyra pat him on the back, "It's okay Silver."

"We should probably go now." Silver brushed off his jacket.

Lyra nodded and let out her Tropius and Silver his Crobat. They took to the sky and set of east, "We should go to Blackthorn first! I have a feeling they're still in Johto!" Silver yelled. Swablu flew out of the hood of Silver's jacket and out in front of Silver and Lyra.

"Is that Gold's Swablu?!" Lyra called.

"Yeah, I found it in Goldenrod! Archer and Ariana were, well, I'm pretty sure they were hurting it!" Silver answered, "Swablu, if you notice any Team Rocket members, tell us!"

Lyra frowned but didn't respond. She kept her eyes on the land below her. Silver chewed on his lip, looking around the land hoping to see something, anything, that may be able to help them find Gold and Kris.

"S-Silver, help!" Silver's eyes shot up to Lyra. Her and Tropius had been caught in an updraft going up to the mountains. Crobat quickly went up to match levels with Lyra. Silver grabbed her off Tropius.

"Return it. Crobat can travel the wind currents without too much trouble." He told her. She nodded and did.

"Will you be able to carry me all the way to Blackthorn?" Lyra asked, worry strong in her voice.

Silver nodded and held her a little tighter, "I'll be fine."

She smiled and cuddled into Silver, returning to watching the ground below her. Silver blushed at her cuddling at swallowed hard. What did she think she was doing? Soon they were coming down into Blackwood. Silver touched ground first then gently let Lyra down, "I told you I'd be fine."

Lyra giggled and hugged Silver, "Thanks."

Silver gently pushed her away and recalled Crobat, "Yeah, yeah. You've been close to me long enough, stay away."

She rolled her eyes, "How do we find a base of Team Rocket?"

"Look for a member or anyone look looks suspicious," Lyra gave him a questioning look, "We have no clues."

They walked around the town, careful not to let anything pass them by. When they were almost done scanning the city, Swablu returned to Silver and sat on his head, "Find anything?" The bird chirped sadly, "That's okay. It just means they're in Kanto. Nothing big."

Silver was lying to himself. They could have taken Gold and Kris anywhere. They could have changed directions once getting to Kanto, or worse, before they got to Kanto. Gold could be anywhere in the two regions. They were wasting time. What if he was relocated then, with Kris, they managed to get what they wanted out of him and killed him. Silver rubbed his temples, he was overthinking things.

"Silver, what's wrong?" Lyra asked, gently taking one of his hands.

The teen boy looked at his friend, "We'll have no idea where to look in Kanto."

Lyra frowned and furrowed her brow, "Do you want to spend the night here? Or maybe we could try to make it to Viridian before nightfall."

Silver looked up to the peak of Mt. Silver, the very top was beginning to turn a bright orange. He could see a Charizard flying up the mountain, returning home.

"It's cold and only getting colder. We'll barely make it before it gets freezing and dark, if we do at all. It's your call," Silver told her.

Lyra looked at the sky, judging it, "I'm willing to take the risk."

Silver released Crobat again and picked up Lyra. They took off again, heading toward Viridian City. Lyra closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep in Silver's arms. Silver bit his lip and tried not to think of her. He watched the land under them fly by, concentrating on hopefully to find any signs of Team Rocket. The light was beginning to fade away fast. Silver felt his eyelids getting heavy. He shook his head, he couldn't fall asleep.

Silver looked at Mt. Silver, he had passed it twice this week now and looked at it more than he had ever before. Red was back inside his cave, Silver knew from Charizard flying back up the mountain. Home, somewhere safe. The red haired teen looked at Lyra, he should have let her stay in Blackthorn. It was a bad idea to bring her, not because she was weak, it was clear she wasn't. It was a bad idea to bring her because she was more accustomed to living everyday with everything she needed. Going after Gold would take those things from her. Silver should have let her stay home.

Crobat began to descend, they were coming into Viridian. Hopefully the Pokemon Center there could hold them over for the night. Silver adjusted his hold on Lyra and waited for Crobat to put him down in Viridian. Soon, the boy's feet touched the ground and Crobat was resting in its pokeball. He sat in the grass and gently roused Lyra.

"We're in Viridian City now, we can get you on a bed and not drooling on me," He told her.

"I don't drool!" She gently hit him.

He smiled and stood, holding out a hand for her. She took it and stood, looking at the Pokemon Center, "I could go for a bed. You're arms aren't exactly soft."

"Hmm," Silver hummed.

Silver opened the door and walked up to the nurse, "Do you have a spare room?"

She shook her head, "A lot of trainers are staying here and waiting for the League to open."

He swore under his breath, he had forgotten all about the league.

Lyra tugged on his sleeve, "Come on. I know somewhere we can go."

"Oh, uh, thank you, Nurse Joy," Silver said as he was being dragged out by Lyra.

She smiled and waved.

Lyra dragged Silver out of the center and toward the north eastern part of town. She took him right up to one of the larger buildings in the city. The Gym. Leader Green. Silver was always amused that Green was the Viridian City Gym Leader. Green ruling over the green gym. Lyra tugged on the doors. Locked. Then she banged on the doors.

"Green, I know you're in there, open this door!" She yelled.

The doors slid open and Green stood there. Silver had to admit he was surprised by the look of the Gym Leader. He was tall and lean, a perfect build for someone his age. But his eyes were the thing that most caught Silver's attention. They were tired and dull, like he hadn't slept at all for several days and he was worrying.

"Hey, Green, we need a place to stay overnight," Lyra said, not seeming to notice the tired look on Green's face.

"There's an open bed in the guest room and an open couch too. Apartment's in the back," Even his voice was exhausted.

Lyra smiled sweetly and both of them walked inside the gym. The floor panels had been turned off and the lights, which Silver hadn't known were on a dimmer, were set very low and it was hard to see. There were also bits of paper and other various objects like pens, pencils, and even a necklace with a green and yellow charm strewn across the floor.

Lyra followed Green to the back of the gym and rushed into the guest room, "You take the couch, Silver!" She called back to the redhead.

Silver looked at Green. The brunette was staring idly over his gym. Silver bit his lip and put a hand on his senior's shoulder, causing the young man to jump. He shook his head lightly, "What's wrong with you, Green? You aren't usually like this."

Green closed his eyes and sighed, "It's Red. I finally managed to drag him down off the mountain. It was great while it lasted. He didn't talk though. I had to resort to him writing down what he wanted to tell me. That's why there's so much paper on the floor. But the moment I turn my back and let my guard down, he's out the door! I don't understand why he values that god forsaken mountain and his damn solitude. He pisses me off!" He sat down and buried his face in his hands, "Why do you even care?"

Silver sat next to Green and pulled his knees to his chest, resting his chin on them, "I saw the same look you have in your eyes that I saw in mine just last night. Lyra and I are only here because we're searching Kanto for Gold. Team Rocket's kidnapped him."

Green pat Silver on the shoulder, "You're really turning around, Silver."

Then teen smiled, "Gold helped me a lot."

Green chuckled, "You know, you helped him too."

Silver's brow creased, "What do you mean?"

"You helped him. I'm not sure exactly how, but he told me once that you helped him," Green stood up and held out a hand for Silver, "If you helped someone who already found himself so great, you can't be bad. Come on, I know a way I can help you find him."

Silver took his hand and pulled himself up, "But how?"

Green didn't respond and just took Silver outside the gym, stopping to pick up his necklace first. They walked toward the woods, then walked until they came across a small river. Green turned and took Silver upstream. It took only a few minutes before they came across an old, unassuming building.

"I've seen Rocket members going in and out of this building," Green explained.

"How come you never did anything?" Silver asked.

Green shrugged, "They never bothered Viridian or Pallet."

Silver moved as close as he could to the door. There was a keypad next to it. It could take forever to crack the code.

"Silver," Green hissed.

"Hey, kid! What do you think you're doing here?" Someone yelled.

Silver straightened up and turned to face the man who yelled at him, "I'm not just a kid, grunt."

"Oh, it's you," The grunt sneered.

"Yes, and I have a few things I need to know," Silver slowly walked over to the grunt.

The grunt looked nervous. Silver's acts in Goldenrod had been told to many people in a short time frame. It couldn't be helped, Team Rocket was quick to inform each other of problems. They had gotten better and quicker at relay since Red first stopped their operations in Mt. Moon.

Silver smiled at the grunt's expression, somehow he was enjoying torturing the members of Team Rocket, "Is a boy that was stolen from Newbark in there?"

"Petrel gave orders not to give you any information," The grunt said, his voice high and frightened.

Silver narrowed his eyes, "I asked you a question. I don't care what Petrel says, when I ask something, you answer it. Now, is a Newbark native boy being held here?"

The grunt nodded slowly.

Silver's eyes lit up, "Has anyone hurt him?"

The grunt nodded his head again.

Silver swore, "Is there a blue haired girl, also from Newbark here too?"

The grunt nodded.

"Open the door," Silver commanded.

The grunt didn't move.

Silver grabbed onto the grunts neck, twisting, and pushed him toward the door. The grunt whimpered and entered the passcode. The door's lock clicked open. Silver beckoned for Green to come and opened the door to the hideout. "Swablu, stay out here, come and get me if more grunts are coming."

"Silver, that was..." Green's voice trailed off.

"Not what you expected from me?" Silver offered.

"Yeah, let's go with that," Green was becoming wary of Silver and what the teenager could do. It may have been ridiculous for an adult to be frightened of a teenager, but this was not any teenager. This was Silver, who almost had to raise himself and was able of feats not many other teens were, that he was wary of.

"You don't have to be cautious around me, Green. I'm not going to hurt you," That didn't help Green at all.

The two traveled into the base. Silver knew instantly that something was wrong. There were grunts, yes, but they were all unconscious. Some were holding onto pokeballs. Others had cast out all their pokemon, who were all in various places that they wouldn't have been in had they had the choice. On closer look, some of the grunts didn't appear to be moving and some of the pokemon appeared to be a little too beat up to be saved.

"What happened here?" Green asked, nudging a grunt with his foot.

Silver wandered down the hall. They were scratched from heavy battle and were drenched with a mixture of water and blood, "What ever it was, it was pretty bad."

"You don't think Gold..?" Green didn't finish but Silver knew what he meant.

"He's not the type to do something like this. This is more my-my thing." Silver stumbled over the last part, realizing this is exactly what he would do in Gold's position now.

Green went down the hallway behind Silver. He inspected the walls the the grunts and the pokemon. Nothing went unnoticed, "Someone must have a similar mindset then." He looked at Silver, who had walked down to the end of the hall and was beginning to shake, "Who else does Team Rocket have their hands on?"

Silver shrugged and knelt down. He picked up something and cleaned it off. It was a picture, one of him and Gold when they were still kids and Silver was so sour, he smiled. The edges were worn, like it was always with the person who carried it. A single tear slipped down Silver's face.

"Come on, he probably isn't near here but he is in this base and maybe he can find out exactly where he is," Silver said, standing up and pocketing the photo.

"You don't give up kid, that's respectable," Green said, walking up behind Silver, "Which way do you think the place they are holding him is?"

Silver pointed down the hall and toward the left passage, "If you look closely at the destruction, it appears to be coming from over there."

"Coming from? So you're saying that Gold would do this?" Green asked, furrowing his brow.

"Only if his back was against the wall. They had Kris as well. They probably threatened them both and that triggered him," Silver whispered. "Maybe Kris did this..."

"Which of her pokemon could have made these gashes in the wall?" Green asked.

"She's got an Arcanine. You should know quite well what they can do when enraged," Silver stated.

Green shutup and let Silver have that one. The pair made their way down the hall, following the simple and brutal path of destruction back to its home source.

The condition of the base seemed to be getting worse as they traveled closer to the heart of the destruction. Silver's hands were starting to shake and his eyes unfocused on the path ahead as they darted every way, trying to spot an enemy that wasn't there. Green's breathing was becoming unsteady and at slight noises it would hitch with a gasp that sounded like it rang, clear as a bell through the silence. The atmosphere was getting them more than anything, picking at their minds, playing with their eyes and ears.

Silver soon smelled something sour. He gagged and covered his mouth and nose, eyes watering.

"What the hell is that?" Green exclaimed when he smelled it, "Did they kill him?"

Silver kicked Green in the shin, "Dead humans don't stink this horribly for a while unless put under some really extreme conditions, probably not even then."

"Don't hit me, you brat!" Green whined, reaching out to cuff Silver.

The teen rolled his eyes and easily dodged the shot, "Now it not the time to defend your petty pride!"

Green grumbled.

Silver pushed on the door, "Jammed. What ever is in there is either pretty bad or someone got put back at the beginning." Silver let out his Feraligatr, "I'd be ready for the smell to get worse," He knocked on the door in several places, "Solid steel, about two inches thick. Feraligatr, this should be a breeze," Silver took several steps back, "Alright, use Aqua Tail!"

Feraligatr roared at the command and bashed its tail against the door, the strength of the pokemon breaking it and, as Silver predicted, allowing the awful stench to follow more freely into the hall. Silver swallowed hard, it may not have been Gold or Kris' dead body that smelled that bad, but it was horrible.

The sight was even worse. Yeah, they were bodies, but they were Team Rocket grunt bodies, "This... Was not... Gold's doing..." Silver muttered.

"That's disgusting!" Green yelled, backing away quickly.

Silver let out his whole team and woke up Pichu, who had managed to sleep through all of Green's nagging and outbursts. Green released Rhyperior and Machamp, figuring it was a good idea. Silver stepped over the destroyed door and got a full view of all the dead bodies. They were of varying decay, almost as if this is where the put the grunts who died on a mission, or got killed by anybody and didn't seem to have any rhyme or reason to their placement. It didn't look like any of them had been cleaned after their untimely passing. Someone had just chucked bodies in here to keep them out of the way and jammed the doors to try and keep anyone curious enough of the source of the horrible smell.

The room was very silent, that alone sent chills up Silver's spine, but it wasn't all that did. Silver's whole body had begun to shake. What he was seeing couldn't mean anything, right? What it might be telling him didn't have to be true, right? He was okay, right?

Gold wasn't dead, right?

The fact that his hat was laying in a pool of blood, crumpled and dirty, didn't have to mean that Gold was dead, right?

Silver didn't know he was crying until his knees gave out and he fell to the floor, seeing his tears slash into blood and dirt, mixing with them. He hardly registered at Green managed to forget his pride and kneel down in the filth next to him and rub his back, trying to encourage him to find a little more proof than what he had before him. His team crowded around, not blocking the view of the dirty hat, and tried to offer their condolences

He couldn't seem to pick himself up though. The room was full of dead bodies, if something of Gold's was here, how could he still be alive?

Silver felt rage building in his gut. Hot and rumbling, hungry to find whoever did off with Gold and force them to feel the heart wrenching pain that Silver did. He gripped Green's shoulder, the twenty year old seemed to understand and helped Silver up. Their eyes met, "I'd do the same if I saw this room and it was Red's hat just laying there," Green told the teen.

Silver nodded and took off the the far end of room, dodging bodies and throwing Gold's hat back at Green for him to hold. He didn't bother to follow any trail that might have been there. He just ran blindly, knowing sooner or later he would have to come across something that would either put out his rage or that he could take his pain out on.

Petrel, he was the one who brought Gold here. Silver stopped for a moment and breathed hard. He looked around. He had nothing to reference his location off of, he was completely lost. Where was Petrel's office? Would that horrible man even still be here.

"S-Silver! Y-you came to save me!" Silver jumped in surprise at the voice, it sounded like Gold, a little different from what Silver remembered, but he pinned that with having not hear him in a while.

"Gold!" Silver turned to the source of the voice with a smile. Something seemed wrong with him. He looked tired and hurt. A little too tall and lanky as well. Silver, again, just put those aside, this place was a wreck, Gold was probably in the heat of the battle. The red haired teen rushed to the side of his friend and helped him stand up right.

Pichu crawled out of Silver's hood and looked closely at Gold. It crawled over to him and sniffed him. It scuttled back to Silver and tugged, hard on his hair.

"Ow. Ow! Pichu!" Silver detached the pokemon and held it in front of him, "What's gotten into you?"

Pichu cried loudly and slipped out of Silver's hands. It stood in front of Gold, looking at Silver. It started to chat angrily.

"Pichu I don't understand. That's Gold, why are you so upset?" Silver knelt beside the small pokemon.

It shocked him and scampered away, chatting back angrily.

Gold helped Silver up then cut right to the chase, "They have Kris, Silver. I don't know where they took her, but she's still here," He started coughing.

Silver rubbed Gold's back, a worried look on his face, "I'll find her, you go back through the room with all the dead bodies, you can find it through the smell, Green should be somewhere back there. Swablu's there too."

"I wanna go help Kris with you, Silv. I can still fight," Gold protested.

"Gold, you really should go back and get some help..." Silver's voice was laced with concern.

"I'll be fine!" Gold shrugged off Silver and took a few steps down the hall and pointed to another off to the left, "They were holding me down this hall. I bet Kris is still there."

Silver, realizing he wouldn't be able to convince Gold to get help from Green, returned all of his team but Feraligatr and followed Gold down the hall. The area was beginning to look less destroyed, it was odd, wouldn't a path of destruction be strong in the beginning, right where Gold first broke out?

"Hey, Gold, what happened here?" Silver asked.

"There was another prisoner. He escaped and in the process released me. He managed to get out, but I couldn't. They've got my other pokemon. I tried to get to them first but I got to beat up to do much. I hid until it all got quiet. I heard someone running down the hall and found you. I can't tell you how happy I was to see you," Gold explained.

Silver's face flushed and he stiffened up a little. Gold was inexpressibly happy to see him? "Th-that sounds really bad. What if Kris got really hurt?"

"Then she'd be in the dead body room. Anyone who fails to do a mission or gets seriously hurt and returns to this base, is just left there to die. The same goes for prisoners who get injured or dies."

"That's pretty gruesome. No wonder no one ever talked about this base at the mansion," Silver said.

Gold nodded, "It's horrible living here. Being imprisoned here."

Silver followed Gold in silence. Soon the wreckage was at a minimum and they entered a very large room. Silver stopped and looked around. This was the heart of the base. There were computers everywhere and cages in the air that would contain pokemon that Team Rocket was holding and using for whatever they were planning. There were doors leading out to many of the other corridors of the base and Silver realized how lost he could have gotten with his mindless running around.

"One thing I did manage to do was release the pokemon," Gold said, looking up at the empty cages.

"Pretty good handiwork," Silver complemented.

Gold grinned at Silver, making the redhead blush and fidget. Why the hell was Gold getting to him?

Gold continued through the centre of the base and to a small door that Silver hadn't noticed at first glance, "The holding cells are in there."

Silver's brow creased, "If someone escaped from there, why isn't the door broken?"

"He took advantage of a stupid grunt who let his guard down and left the door open. Made the first stage very easy," Gold explained.

"How'd he free you then?" Silver asked, something here wasn't quite right anymore.

"Petrel found him quickly and he tried to hide out in the cells again," Gold looked at Silver, worried, "Don't you trust me, Silv?"

Silver smiled weakly, "Of course I do, Gold. Team Rocket can just be tricky sometimes. Petrel is good at disguise and bad at making up realistic stories."

Gold seemed to be nervous for a moment, but as soon as it showed up it was gone again, "Yeah, they are a bunch of tricky bastards."

Silver walked up to the door and grabbed the handle, "It's locked..." Why would it be locked if people escaped? Maybe there were some grunts in there, holding down their final prisoner. "Feraligatr," Silver stood off to the side, "use Aqua Tail!"

The pokemon attacked the door and it was torn from its hinges. Silver pat the pokemon and smiled at it, "Good job."

Gold walked over beside Silver, "Wow, Silv, you're pretty good."

Silver nodded in thanks, "Since it was locked, there may be grunts hiding out in there," He slowly looked around the side of the doorframe. The room was completely empty and there didn't appear to be any cells in there, just wreckage.

"Gold are you sure this is where the holding cells are?" Silver asked, "I don't see anything."

Gold mindlessly walked into the room, "Destroyed."

Silver returned Feraligatr and walked in behind Gold, "Does that mean Kris is..." he couldn't finish.

"Hopefully not," Gold walked to the back of the room and grinned triumphantly. He started to move rubble aside. It crumbled down and revealed one recessed cell that hadn't be destroyed. Silver walked closer. There were two bodies inside. One looked like a grunt, and didn't seem to be moving. The other was unmistakably Kris, she was curled up in a way where she could have been trying to protect herself from falling debris or a position she could have gone into to die.

"Kris!" Silver ran up to the bars of the cell and grabbed them, "Come on, Gold, we've got to get this cell open without making the roof collapse.

...

Pichu raced up to Green and hopped up him to his shoulder. It began chatting into his ear and tugging on it.

"Just as impatient as your trainer, I see," Green said, "What's wrong."

Pichu hopped down and started chatting and moving around, hopping Green would be able to understand better than Silver had.

"Has something gone wrong with Silver?" Green asked.

Pichu nodded then thought for a moment. How could it explain a fake Gold? It saw Gold's hat and grabbed it, waving it then making an X.

"Silver's found Gold and he can't free him?" Green guessed.

Pichu shook its head. It put on the hat then quickly took it off and made a face.

"Let's see. Petrel's been known to pull tricks... Dammit! Silver's with Petrel and he doesn't know it! He thinks he's found Gold!" Pichu nodded and ran off, leading Green back to where it had left Silver.

...

Silver and Gold worked on completely clearing a way into the cell. Silver kept yelling to Kris, trying to wake her up. He wasn't going to think that she was dead just because she didn't look so great. It only took a few minutes to clear the a way to the door of the cell.

"There's a padlock," Gold said, blandly.

"I've got it," Silver released his Sneasel, "Okay, Sneasel, I need you to cut that lock off."

Sneasel nodded and quickly slashed through the lock.

"Thank you," Silver smiled at the pokemon and returned it.

Gold pulled on the cell door, it was stuck for a moment but then swung open with a loud creak.

Silver walked over to Kris and knelt down beside her. He took hold of her wrist and checked for a pulse, it was weak, but it was there, "Hey, Kris, can you hear me? Come on, Kris wake up."

Her eyes fluttered open, they were dull but they still locked on with Silver's and recognized him, "Silver..."

He smiled, "Hey."

There was a loud clang and a laugh. It was so familiar, but Silver hadn't seen anyone that was conscious besides Gold. That laugh wasn't Gold's though.

...

Pichu had stopped where it left Silver. Of course, the teen had to be gone.

"Arcanine, try and figure out which way they went," Green told the pokemon.

Arcanine sniffed around then started down the path that Petrel had taken Silver. Green and Pichu followed not far behind. They arrived in the centre of the base just in time to hear the cell door slam closed and Petrel to start laughing.

"Petrel!" Green roared.

...

"Petrel!" Silver heard Green yell.

"Petrel?" Silver looked around, he must have been the one laughing. He saw Gold smiling outside the cell and clicking a new padlock closed on the door. Gold's eyes met Silver's, the golden eyes seemed dull. Then Gold slipped out of sight, "Gold..?"

...

Petrel left the cell block, still dressed like Gold.

"You bastard. You have no right to be holding those kids!" Green growled.

"What's stopping me? You, Gym Leader?" Petrel slipped out of the Gold costume, Green was thankful he had other clothes on underneath.

"I'm going to take them back to Viridian," Green said firmly.

...

Kris sat up and rubbed her head, "Why did Gold do that?"

"I don't- Goddammit! That was Petrel the whole time! Where the fuck is Gold?!" Silver quickly stood and went to the bars of the cell. He fixed his eyes on Petrel, the bastard had led him right into a trap. He fell for it all because he honestly thought he was with Gold, he had taken any of the signs as a warning. He realized now what Pichu was trying to tell him.

The grunt moaned and stirred a little.

Silver turned his sights to the fallen grunt. He went to their side. He felt horrible for the grunt, "Hey, if Green can get us out, I'll make sure you get put in good hands."

Kris shivered, "Silver, what is he gonna do to us?"

"I'm going back to Giovanni. If that room of dead bodies means anything, you two will be the newest additions," Silver sighed and sat beside the grunt, "Where's it hurt."

The grunt tried to lift his hand but he was far too weak.

"Okay, I'm just gonna look for myself then. It'll do us no good if we don't know what's wrong with you when we get to the Center," Silver said.

"N-no, Silv, I-I'll be fine," Silver's heart skipped a beat.

"G-Gold?" He whispered.

The other male turned his head to look directly at Silver, his burning golden eyes spoke the truth.

"I'm so sorry, Gold," Silver felt the tears welling up in his eyes. He gently lifted Gold to hug him tight.

"Don't be sorry, Petrel's g-gotten good at what h-he does. He tr-tricked me as I-I was e-escaping. M-made me think h-he was you." Gold said softly.

Silver moved around and rested Gold's head in his lap, "I messed up though. I came here to save you two and I ended up fucking everything up," Silver said.

Gold placed his hands on Silver's chest, "You did gr-great, Silv. You f-found us and I'm r-really sure you can get us out."

Silver frowned, "You're giving me credit where credit is not due."

"I believe in you Silver," Gold said. He managed to lift himself up and gently press his lips against Silver's.

**Chapter End**


	3. Chapter 3

Silver sat in shock as he felt Gold's lips against his. He reacted quickly and shoved Gold away, "What the hell are you doing?!" He cried, wiping his mouth.

Gold frowned and looked away from Silver. He muttered something that Silver didn't hear.

"Silv, the fighting outside doesn't sound like it's going in Green's favour," Kris commented.

Silver stood up and went to the bars of the cell again.

"You still have your pokemon. Why are we still in here?" Kris asked.

"I'm hoping Petrel will come back here and get right in my line of fire."

"Wh-what about G-Green?" Gold stuttered, trying to sit up.

Silver stiffened and knelt down by Gold's side, "Stay still, you're hurt."

"I'm not just gonna sit here if you're going to let Green have the shit beat outta him!" Gold tried to push Silver away.

Silver grabbed Gold's hands, "Gold, do you really think, at this point, I'm just going to leave a friend out there to die?" Gold looked at Silver, starting to smile, "If you think that's the case, then you don't know me," Silver shrugged off Gold's jacket and pressed it into his chest.

Gold laughed softly, "You're starting to sound like me."

Silver managed a smile, "Kris, can you help me get Petrel's attention?" Gold started to get up once more, "Stay put, Gold."

Kris took a few steps then tripped, she caught herself and laughed softly at herself, "I'm not gonna be much help if I do that again."

Silver frowned, "You can sit back down. A good way to get Petrel's attention would to remind him that I still have my pokemon," Silver cast out his Sneasel, Feraligatr, and Houndoom, "Alright guys, time to get Petrel's attention," The pokemon all cried in agreement. With no need of a command, Feraligatr shook the cell bars, Houndoom blew fire past the bars and toward Petrel, and Sneasel slipped out of the cell to hide.

"What the hell are you brats doing?" Petrel yelled, coming over to the cell.

"Reminding you that you're a fucking idiot," Silver said, smiling.

"You're the one who was lead into the trap, Silver," Petrel countered.

Silver rolled his eyes, "You left me with my pokemon, idiot."

Petrel looked at Feraligatr and Houndoom like he hadn't noticed them before. His eyes went wide and he quickly grabbed the key. He unlocked the door and Silver smirked. Sneasel jumped from its hiding place and onto Petrel's back. The executive whirled around and slammed the pokemon against the bars. He reached out for Silver and grabbed the trainer by the throat.

"Silver!" Gold yelled, forcing himself up, but standing very unstable. He pulled back on his jacket, making a ceremonious motion that he was still willing to fight. Kris went to his side and held him up, standing ground for both of them.

"Return your pokemon, boy," Petrel commanded.

Silver shook his head the best he could. Petrel squeezed the redhead's throat tighter, causing the boy's face to quickly turn a very dark red. Silver slowly lifted his hands and returned his three pokemon. Petrel smiled and pet Silver's hair, toying with the ends of it. He threw the boy down and stripped him of his pokemon.

"There are only five pokemon here, Silver," He commented.

"Pichu ran away, remember," Silver coughed.

"Hmm, yes, I'll have to crush that little pest right in front of you," Petrel locked the cell again, "Then get you, little runaway, back to your daddy dear."

Gold knelt down beside Silver and helped him sit up. The golden eyed teen hugged his silver eyed friend tight, "It's okay, Silv, he's gone completely crazy. You weren't planning for that."

Silver looked at Gold and let tears flow freely. Gold was shocked by the sudden show, but reacted accordingly. He pat Silver on the back and hummed to him.

"I-I can't d-do anything I plan c-c-correctly!" Silver yelled, slamming his fists against the floor.

"You made it here, Silver, you found Gold. You told me yesterday, earlier today, whichever, that you were running off with Gold's jacket and Pichu to go and find him! And you did it," Kris told him, sitting on his other side and smiling gently at him.

"She's got a point, Silv," Gold rubbed Silver's back.

There was a loud crash and the room began to shake, "Green!"

The three teens went to the bars of the cell and looked out to hopefully catch a glimpse of Green. They did, but not one they wanted. They saw Petrel dragging Green's unconscious and bleeding body towards the cell. The teens cleared away from the cell, they had no plan or way to fight Petrel, and trying to fight without pokemon could only end badly.

Petrel smiled at the sight of the teens cowering away and tossed Green into the cell, laughed, then left. Kris was the first to Green. She cradled his head and started checking him for injuries, saving face and not taking his clothes off.

"This is really bad, guys. We're pretty much doomed. Green's got no pokemon on him," Kris reported.

"Where's Pichu's gotten off to?" Gold asked, worried.

Silver looked out into the centre room of the base, he didn't see anything moving in the limited area he could see. He looked at Gold and shook his head. Gold bit his lip, "You don't think that he..?"

"If he has, what ever he did to Pichu, I'll do to him," Silver said.

Petrel walked over slowly and put his face right in Silver's, "You couldn't do anything to me, little runaway."

Silver resisted lashing out, he knew that he couldn't do anything at the moment. Soon enough he would be able to though, "Maybe I can't yet, Petrel, but there will be a moment when you, and your twisted mind, lower your guards and I'll be there, holding a freshly sharpened knife against your throat."

Petrel laughed and turned his back to Silver, "Have your knife, runaway?"

The cry of a pokemon echoed in the air. A ball of brightly glowing sparks flew towards Petrel and the cell. It collided with the cell bars and broke through, slamming against the back wall and sending rubble flying everywhere.

"Tch. Nice try, but your little attack missed," Petrel laughed and turned back to face the group.

Pichu popped out of the rubble and jumped onto Gold's shoulder.

"Ah, the little rat has returned to its trainer," Petrel cooed.

Gold hugged Pichu and stepped closer to the cell bars, "You may think you've won Petrel, but you're wrong. The three of us are some of the strongest trainers you've ever had to face. We've taken your lot down before!"

Petrel laughed, "Oh, I'm so scared of a bunch of little teenagers," he spat out the word teenagers. He walked a few feet from the cell and seemed to just be studying his captured trainers.

Silver sat in the silence for a moment walked over to the hole that Pichu had made in the bars. He grabbed hold of the curving bars on the top of the hole and lifted himself to sit in the bottom on the hole.

"No one's scared of you Petrel. You're just a little bug. We could squash you with ease. You're a horrible excuse for an Executive. I'm surprised all your blunders haven't cost you dearly yet. You're a weed in Team Rocket. All the others talk of your idiocy and laugh at you," Silver's words were having a clear effect on Petrel. His face was turning purple and contorting in a deep sneer.

"Shut up, you worthless scum!" He roared, "Giovanni will love me for this. I will be his right hand man, not that stupid Archer."

Silver laughed softly, "Archer, huh? Oh, you could never beat him. You're too small and pathetic. You shouldn't even try. Well, at least, not like you are now. I mean, just look at you, so small and you look half mad with hunger. You couldn't hold a candle to Archer. Hell, you barely stand above a grunt. The Executives keep you around as a joke. They find you useless. You're only a way to slow down anyone who try to oppose them to them," Silver hopped off the bent bars and onto the rubble outside the cell. He walked over to Petrel and placed a hand on his shoulder, "I could help you though. You have to of seen the security in the mansion I was being held in. They're afraid of me. I could pass my secrets on to you. I'll need my pokemon back though," Silver kept his body language open and managed to keep his voice level.

Petrel smiled at Silver, "Do you think I'll really just hand them over to you, little runaway?"

Silver shrugged and walked around Petrel, keeping his pacing slow and his face with a little curiosity to it, "Do you really think that handing me back over to Giovanni will earn his praise? That's making things too easy for him. He'll think of you as a tool, not his right hand man, the one who gets to take over in the event something... unfortunate were to happen to him."

Petrel was beginning to look very nervous. Silver noticed that his brow seemed damp with sweat and he had begun to ring his hands, "Wh-what should I do to get him to believe I am powerful?"

"Find what you what. Demand power as trade for me. If that won't work, simply threaten to kill me. He's bound to listen then," Silver suggested.

Petrel stiffened, "He would think that I'm crazy, he might try to kill me!"

"No, he would think that you take risks to get what you want. He would respect that and you would be in his favor," Silver explained.

Petrel's eyes were darting all around the room, never stopping on Silver.

In the cell, Gold and Kris were shooting Silver worried looks and moving restlessly, unable to figure out if they were supposed to leave the cell or if Silver was just trying to bait Petrel into giving him back his pokemon.

"I thought you had it in you to be a good Executive. I guess my judgement must be off. I remember you used to have so much potential," Silver sighed for effect, "I guess my mind is just addled from your pathetic attempt at capturing strong trainers."

Petrel screamed and fell to his knee.

Silver blinked and jumped a little, his calm broken by the piercing sound.

Gold climbed out of the cell and ran to Silver's side, "Silver, you just beat him down by talking."

"I... I didn't even think that was possible..." Silver stared at Petrel's shaking form, his own body beginning to quiver.

"Hey, Silv, it's okay. I'm sure, after a while, he'll been fine," Gold said softly, attempted to calm his friend's rapidly fraying nerves.

Silver laughed, a hollow, humorless laugh, "I've physically harmed two of them, mentally torn down another, and the last barely got away with threats I had plans to keep true to," Silver looked at Gold, his eyes were wide, but lacked light, "I think I'm the truly mad one here."

Gold hugged Silver tight, "No, Silver, you're not. You've only been protecting yourself and finding your friends. You did what you had to do."

Silver began to shake more. His breathing became uneven and he hugged Gold back, almost suffocating the other boy. Gold could feel the tears seep into his jacket sleeve. He hummed softly and rubbed Silver's back, "You're not crazy, Silv. I promise. If you were crazy, I wouldn't like you so much," His words fell on deaf ears as Silver continued to cry softly into Gold.

Kris managed to get out of the cell as well and walked over to the boys, "Silver, you've never been normal, I'll admit that, and I'll be the first to tell you, too. But you've always been a strong fighter. You never held back, you did whatever would get you passed the challenge you faced. Sure, sometimes you did something no one would be proud of, but you were doing things your way. You are not a person who backs down easily, you aren't a person who breaks down easily. I know you're seen some seriously fucked stuff, and you've done some too, but you have to be strong. We aren't out of this yet."

Silver wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and looked at Gold and Kris. His eyes spoke everything he couldn't manage. He was already wounded inside and the past day has only been breaking apart the barely stable structures of his mind.

Gold took off his jacket and passed it back to Silver, "Here, Silver."

Silver held the jacket, staring at it, then looked at Gold. He opened his mouth to say something, but lacked the sound to do so. Gold smiled softly, then took the jacket and draped it over Silver's shoulders. Silver grabbed the zippered edges and held the jacket close around his still shaking body.

The trio hadn't stopped to notice that Petrel was gone, along with their, and Green's pokemon, but oddly enough, a set of keys was left behind.

A soft chirping caught their attention though. Swablu flew right to Gold and landed on his head.

"Hey, buddy, how've you been?" He asked the bird. It chirped happily and cleaned up his hair with its wings, making Gold laugh.

Kris noticed the keys and picked them up, "What are these?"

Silver took them. He looked them over, picked one out, then pointed at the lock on the cell, "We won't be able to haul Green out of that hole," His voice was dead, completely flat, almost calculative and cold. He sounded a lot like he did when he was a child.

Gold nodded, his eyes dark with concern for Silver, "You're right, Silvs. Come on, let's wake him up."

The trio walked back to the cell and Silver unlocked it. Kris knelt beside Green and checked his vitals, "His vitals are fine. He's just unconscious. We'll probably have to support him, but he'll be fine," she reported.

"Hit him in the gut, that'll wake him up," Silver said, leaning on the wall outside the cell.

Gold looked at Silver and shook his head. How could so much work, so much that Silver was really acting better, be gone like that? He walked over to the redhead and put his hands on Silver's shoulders. He locked eyes with the slightly shorter teen and searched them, they were darken and beginning to lock out all of Gold's curiosity.

"Silver, don't you close down on me dammit!" Gold punched the wall, injuring his hand.

He ignored the stinging pain and watched for a change in Silver.

"You hurt yourself doing that," Silver commented.

Gold stiffened and looked at his bleeding hand, "What do you care?" He turned his back to Silver and sighed.

He heard cloth gently hit the floor and felt a pair of arms snake their way around his waist. The pair of arms held on tight. Gold tried to pry them off, but he found that he didn't really want to. Silver pressed his face into Gold's back. Gold didn't move. Why was Silver being so confusing? Guys are supposed to be the straightforward ones. Gold sighed, "Silv, I get that you don't want to talk, but I'm really worried about you. Can you please just tell me something?"

"I'm afraid I'm going to snap and hurt you, but I don't want to be away from you," Silver whispered. His voice was thick and it sounded like he could easily start crying again.

"You won't hurt me, Silv," Gold argued.

"You don't know that. Not even I know what I'm capable of doing anymore," Silver grabbed fistfuls of the front of Gold's shirt and bit his lip.

Gold twisted halfway around and hook an arm around Silver. The silver eyed teen struggled to get away, but Gold managed to hold him tight.

"Listen to me, Silver. You would never hurt one of your friends. You've changed from who you were when we first met. You care about me and Kris, Lyra, and even Green!" Gold shook him gently.

"You really should... listen to him, Silver... I h-hardly know you... and I-I know you're stronger... than wh-what Petrel's... made you think," Green struggled to say.

Silver looked around Gold to Green. He frowned, "I'm sorry, Green. You didn't need to be dragged into this..."

"Don't apologize, Silver," Green said. Green pulled Gold's hat out of his jacket pocket and handed it over to Gold, "Silver found this... and gave it to me... to hang on to."

Gold smiled and placed the cap on his head, "Thanks, Silv," He hugged the redhead and held him tight, "Let's get out of this hell hole."

Kris walked out into the centre room, "This place didn't look this bad before, did it?"

"The battle... took a toll on... the structure," Green said, gritting his teeth.

"You're in a lot of pain..." Silver knelt down and dug in the inside pocket of Gold's jacket and pulled out some berries, "I picked these up earlier. They'll help you feel better," He picked up the jacket and pulled it on

Green took the berries with an appreciative smile. He ate them and pulled a face.

"What did you expect, candy?" Silver finally smiled.

Gold grinned and ruffled Silver's hair, "Too bad I wasn't the one who could make you smile."

Silver ducked his head and bat away Gold's hand, smiling. He fixed his hair to be flat and gently punched Gold in the ribs.

Kris hit them both on the side of the head, "This is not the time to fool around! If the damage is bad, this whole place could fall down on top of us. Let's not forget that Petrel got away with our pokemon while we weren't looking."

Silver bit his lip, knowing it was his break in mentality that distracted his friends from Petrel, "I still remember the way out from here. I can lead."

Kris nodded and let Silver lead the way. He was true to his word and managed to take them all back to the room with the dead bodies. The group was stopped outside. Fallen debris had blocked the way so they were all trying to force the the door open.

"This smell is horrible. I think I'm gonna be sick if we have to hang out here much longer," Gold complained.

Silver sighed, "I honestly don't think this door is going to open," He looked around, "There, that vent probably has some access into that room. I may be able to force the door from the other side."

"Do you really want to go over there alone, Silv?" Gold asked.

"Kris and I could probably both fit through, but I'm the smallest so I have the best chance." Silver said.

"Are you saying I'm fat?" Kris asked, her tone very annoyed.

"No, I'm saying I'm terribly undernourished and it's taken a toll on me. Boost me up there guys,"

Kris and Gold both picked Silver up and lifted him to the vent. He tested the strength of it and found, like the whole base, it was falling apart. He simply torn it out of its mounting and climbed inside, "I'll find a way back if the door still won't open!" He crawled through the tunnel a short way before he heard scrabbling. He looked back and saw Kris trying to fit into the vent.

"A little help, Silver? My bag is stuck," Kris said.

Silver tried to turn around in the tight space but he couldn't quite make it, "Sorry, Kris, I can't-" Silver backed up, "Grab my ankles," she did and held on tight. Silver crawled through the cave but soon Kris let go.

"No good, I can't fit," She slid back out with a wave to Silver.

Silver shivered and sat there for a moment. He thought that the room must be getting to him. It was a pretty horrible sight. He shook his head then continued to crawl through the vent. It wasn't hard to find the way into the room. The stench was easy to follow even if it was strong everywhere in the vents. Silver's only problem was he way of getting out. He couldn't fall in head first, he would crack his his skull open, he also couldn't turn around to drop feet first. Upon arriving to one of the vents, he saw there was a high pile of bodies.

"This is going to be gross..." Silver slid out of the vent and right onto the bodies. They made a horrible squelching noise as the moist flesh rubbed together, rotting organs were crushed, and whatever liquids were in the bodies leaked out. Silver sneered and quickly scrambled off the pile. He looked at his jeans and Gold's jacket. Some of what ever the hell was those bodies was sticking to the clothes. He walked over three doors to the one that his friends should have been behind, "Hey guys, you still there?"

"Yeah, Silv. Try to open the door on three," Silver dug his fingers into small the crack between the doors, "One... Two.. Three!" Silver pulled on the door. He felt it budge and pulled harder.

"It's starting to move, Gold!" Silver yelled and forced himself to pull harder. His arms and fingers gave out and he fell over. With a sigh, Silver slid over to the crack and looked at his friends, "Check if there's a crowbar or something similar in the hall. I'll look around in here," Silver said.

Gold stuck his hand through the crack and grabbed Silver's. Silver looked up at the other boy and noticed that he was staring at their hands. Silver placed his other had over Gold's and smiled. The sat there for a moment, in silence. They didn't question why this felt normal, but, instead, just enjoyed that the other was okay.

"I should go look now..." Silver said, pulling his hands away, slowly, reluctantly.

"Me too..." Gold looked up at Silver and smiled brightly, then pulled away his hand, "We should hurry. Kris and Green will get mad at us if we don't get moving."

Silver stood up and walked around the room. He looked for things like pipes or narrow pieces of metal. For a wrecked area, there didn't seem to be many of either. Silver noticed sparks. It was a smashed control. He walked up to it, the damage was done by something narrow, maybe a pokemon's tail or maybe a crowbar like he needed. He didn't see anything on the floor near the control so he walked away. Only to trip and hit his head against the table by the control panel. He laid on the floor for a moment and swore. He look by his feet and saw a crowbar. He grinned in victory and grabbed the crowbar. He stood up again, holding his head with one had and the crowbar with the other. He ran back to the door and banged on it, "I've got a crowbar, guys!"

Kris and Green looked through the crack and smiled.

"Good job, Silv!" Kris complemented.

"Now we can get out of this hell hole," Green said.

"You sound like you're feeling better, Green," Silver said, thoughtfully.

Green nodded, "Thanks."

Silver wedged the crowbar and started pushing against it. He could feel the door moving, but not much. Kris and Green each grabbed a door and pushed against it. Gold waited until he could get his hands through the door then started pulling on the crowbar to help Silver.

The doors slid open and the group was back together. Gold hugged Silver tight, without thinking about how Silver would react or that the other two were right there.

Kris and Green looked at each other and shared a secret laugh.

Silver got on his toes and wrapped his arms around Gold's neck, hiding his face in the gap between his arm and Gold's neck.

Green elbowed Kris and pointed to Silver and Gold. The pair grinned and Kris snorted with laughter.

The sound of her laughing made Silver push Gold away and blush and very dark red. He shot Green and Kris dirty looks then stalked off to where he and Green had originally entered.

"Whoops, I think we killed the mood," Kris giggled.

"We? You're the one who snorted!" Green protested.

"Both of you are of equal blame. I was getting somewhere!" Gold followed after Silver.

Kris leaned close to Green, "I hear wedding bells."

Green nodded and they followed after the hormonal male teens.

...

Gold and Silver were walking a few feet away from each other on Silver's request. He didn't want Kris and Green laughing at the two of them again. They were just sharing a friendly hug, why were they laughing?

Green and Kris soon caught up to them. They had almost lost their smiles, but Silver could still see them and the amused glint in their eyes.

"Silver, you reek. What did you do in there?" Kris blocked her nose.

"I had to land on a pile of bodies so I wouldn't kill myself getting out of the vent," Silver said, without looking at her.

"Oh, gross," She said quietly.

"Very," Silver's voice was stiff.

Green leaned down to Kris and whispered, "I think he's mad at us."

Kris shoved him, "You think?"

Silver looked over his shoulder and laughed to himself. Those two were ridiculous. He let his eyes wander off to Gold. The dark haired teen was taking the lead, his face determined and annoyed. Silver wondered if Gold was annoyed with Kris and Green as he was. He walked a little faster to stay between Gold and the other two. He kept his head down and watched his feet.

Why was he so embarrassed when Kris laughed at him? It wasn't like he had feelings for Gold he should be embarrassed of. He had pushed the other boy away when Gold tried to kiss him, hadn't he? But, when Petrel was disguised as Gold, and he complimented Silver, he had blushed. Why? What was wrong with him? he hadn't seen Gold in a while, was that making his reactions to what Gold did and say off. He sighed a long heavy sigh. Then he walked right into Gold's back and stumbled back, landing on his butt.

He looked up to see what had stopped Gold and saw that some of the hall had collapsed. He grabbed Gold's hand and pulled himself up. He looked over the rubble in front of him. He lifted his hands to try and move some of the rubble when he noticed Gold was still holding his hand, "Gold?"

"This isn't good, Silv. This wasn't caused by the fighting in the centre. Petrel did this on purpose. It's probably calculated so it will be hard for us to move the rubble and get out on our own," Gold said, squeezing Silver's hand.

Green pulled out a large chunk of the rubble and threw it to the side. Underneath were more large pieces, "Gold's right. We would need our pokemon to move all this."

Silver edged a little closer to Gold, "Is it getting cold in here?"

Kris looked along the wall. She spotted something and jogged to it, "Thermostat is broken! It looks like its set as low as it can get!" She walked back to the group, "Judging from the room of dead bodies, it's probably set to get pretty cold. Petrel's mind cracking is probably what set it up in the first place. Making the bodies rot and stink so horribly."

"How come we didn't notice before?" Gold asked, "How come Silver didn't notice in the vents?"

Silver thought for a moment then tugged on Gold's hand, "I did shiver in the vents. I thought it was just the room getting to me, but it must have been cold air going through the vents. I must have not realized it was cold air because I couldn't feel a stream and I have your jacket on."

"Great, so we could freeze to death in here!" Green kicked the pile of rubble blocking their way out then swore in pain and grabbed his foot.

Kris shook her head at Green, "I no longer have words to describe you."

Silver looked up at Gold's face. He didn't seem too worried. Silver was envious of him, managing to stay so calm in their situation.

"It's gonna take a while for the temperature to drop low enough in every part of the base to start freezing us. And here, warmer air should be able to get in." Gold said.

"Should is the key word. Gold, it's the middle of the winter and there's a huge storm growing above Mt. Silver," Silver said.

There were loud crashing sounds outside. The four friends kept close to each other and backed away from the rubble. The sounds could mean Petrel had changed his broken mind and was coming to finish what he had barely started.

Gold had his arms protectively around Silver, who was shaking again, "Petrel's not taking you to Giovanni, Silv."

The crashes got louder and the pile of rubble began to crumble. Clouds of dust were kicked up and the person who opened the way was completely blocked from their view.

"Hello! Silver? Green?" That voice didn't belong to Petrel. It was someone the group was much happier to hear.

"Lyra!" They all yelled.

"Tropius, clear the dust, please!" Lyra commanded. Tropius complied and the dust was soon gone. She stood there, grinning, "Gold! Kris! You guys are still alive!" She raced forward and hugged Kris.

"Hey, kid!" Kris hugged Lyra tight.

Silver broke out of Gold's grip then rushed over the small pile of what was left of the rubble and stood on the other side, "I'm done with this place!" He kept walking to the exit.

"Hey, Silver, hold up!" Gold chased after him.

"Second time today that one he's chased after Silver," Green said to Kris.

"Second time this hour even," Kris added.

Green nodded, "Gold, Silver don't try anything in my Gym!" He called up to Silver.

"Shut the hell up, you spiky haired freak!" Silver yelled.

"Spiky haired freak? He's too embarrassed and frustrated to insult correctly," Kris laughed.

Green mussed his hair and frowned, "Is it really that bad?"

"You're worried about your hair and not the fact he called you a freak?" Lyra asked, "You, Green Oak, work in odd ways."

**Chapter End**


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